


My Big Fat Schottmacher Wedding

by Peggystormborn



Series: Every Time...A Karamel Anthology [15]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Canon compliant through end of season 3, Cat Grant Fixes Everything, Cat Grant Knows Kara Danvers Is Supergirl, F/M, KaraMel, Karamel spent 10 years in the future then came back with their kids, Weddings, schottmacher
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-23
Updated: 2018-11-23
Packaged: 2019-08-28 06:48:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16718383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peggystormborn/pseuds/Peggystormborn
Summary: You are cordially invited to celebrate the nuptials of Winn Schott and Eve Teschmacher. Dinner, dancing and disaster to follow.





	My Big Fat Schottmacher Wedding

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly don't know why there aren't more Schottmacher fics. These two are such a joy to write.
> 
> If you haven't read my other stories:
> 
> Kara, Mon and Winn spent 10 years in the future and had children there.
> 
> Jeremiah came back.
> 
> Alex adopted a genetically engineered child that has some of Kara's DNA.
> 
> Lena and Cat both know Kara's identity. 
> 
> Winn and Eve were hilariously set up by their friends. 
> 
> Canon compliant through the end of season 3.

My Big Fat Schottmacher Wedding

 

“I have a confession to make,” Lena Luthor says, under her breath, to her best friend as the two of them enter the guest bedroom of the palatial estate. She locks the door behind her, dropping her luggage on a nearby chair as she hangs her black garment bag in the closet.

 

“What is it?” Kara stops in her tracks, brows crinkling, throwing her own matching black bag on the bed.

 

Lena approaches, a tinge of nervousness in her eyes, chewing her lip slightly. She gets closer to Kara, invading her friend's personal space a bit, making it clear this conversation is meant to stay between the two of them. She takes a deep breath in and exhales, as she prepares to say her next words.

 

“...I hate it,” she finally manages.

 

Kara relaxes her shoulders with relief. “Oh, thank Rao. So do I.”

 

Lena's eyes go wide. “Really? I thought you might…”

 

“What? Enjoy _that_?” she points to the bed.

 

“I just thought, I mean, it might be more…up your alley, or something?”

 

Kara laughs with just the slightest tinge of bitterness. “Uh, no. Not even a little bit.”

 

“Well, we're stuck now, aren't we?”

 

“It's not the end of the world. It's not forever.”

 

“The photos on Instagram definitely are, though.”

 

“Yeah…trying not to think about that.”

 

Lena marches over to the bed, picks up her friend's bag, and slides the zipper down to reveal its contents. “It's just…it's so…”

 

“Yellow?”

 

“Yes! With...ugh…daisies all over it.”

 

“Just along the hem...and the waist...and the neckline…but there's nothing to be done about it, so I guess we'll have to suck it up.”

 

“At least yellow works on you. You've got a more summery complexion than me. I'm going to look like a vampire in a banana costume. And together we'll be like...”

 

Kara laughs heartily at the imagery. “...Like a couple of Minions? Especially with Eve's cousin standing up with us.”

 

“Minions?”

 

“Right, you don't have kids.”

 

Lena shakes her head. “NOOOOO. No kids. That's for sure.” There's a beat as Kara eyes her friend. She always sensed Lena was not on the motherhood track, but it's the first time she's heard her dismiss the idea entirely.

 

“...It's from those movies...Despicable Me?”

 

Lena just stares at her.

 

“Never mind.” The Kryptonian waves the thought away. “Eve's grandmother picked the bridesmaid dresses. Along with the bouquets and centerpieces, linens, favors, most of the decor really. It's not...terrible. Kind of looks like an old hotel full of antiques. Or a black and white movie.”

 

“Um, excuse me, THIS is neither black nor white.” Lena indicates the offending garment. “THIS is like some kind of rejected technicolor poodle skirt from Pleasantville or something.”

 

“It's just for today. Then we can burn them on a pyre if you want.”

 

“I'll bring the marshmallows,” Lena deadpans, stepping into the bathroom to get changed into the canary-hued monstrosity.

 

They laugh as they help each other with zippers before exiting down the hall to join the Eve and her family in the bridal suite.

 

“Hi, guys!” Eve is radiant, and even bubblier than usual, as the hired stylist works on her hair. “You guys look...great!” she exhales a little awkwardly, glancing at her grandmother, who is busy rifling through a box of hairpins while sitting demurely on a nearby sofa. Looking back at her friends, she silently mouths _I'm sorry!_ as they chuckle lightly and avail themselves of the continental breakfast platter and tray of mimosas.

 

Kara settles on a nearby ottoman, awaiting her turn with the stylist. She could easily sweep her own hair into an updo in a fraction of a second, but just for today, for the sake of appearances, she'll let a professional do the sweeping.

 

Her cell dings then, and she checks it to see a text message from her husband.

 

 _You'll never guess who's here_! it reads.

 

 _Who?_ she texts back.

 

He sends a photo. It's him, goofy grin on his handsome face, arms around two familiar-looking individuals. In a black dress, joyfully waving, is Imra. Flanking his other side, stoic and emotionless as ever, is Brainy. Though the Coluan’s normally blue visage and white hair are replaced by a more human look, thanks to his personal image inducer device.

 

“Oh my God!” she shouts, causing everyone around to stare at her. “Oh! Sorry, um, I just have to run downstairs for a second.” When Lena gives her a look of concern she holds up the phone for her friend to see, resulting in a delighted smile. She then waves Kara away, indicating she'll hold down the fort with the bridal party.

 

Kara can't help but speed downstairs once she's out of the room and certain no one is looking.

 

There they are out in the garden, in a small circle with the groom and Daxamite best man. Mon-El is holding Allie on his hip, while Imra clutches Zora like she's a sight for sore eyes, fussing over how big all the children have gotten. Xander, adorable in his pint-sized tuxedo, runs in circles around the clump of friends. Baby John is the only child missing, but Kara does a quick scan to see him not far off, sleeping in the arms of her Earth mother Eliza who's hanging out on the patio with Alex and Jeremiah. She trots up and throws her arms around her Saturnian friend. She then hugs Brainy as well, though more stiffly.

 

“What are you guys _doing_ here?!” she asks incredulously, once she pulls herself together.

 

“Well, we normally try to steer clear of viewing personal records for you three to avoid the temptation to interfere with the timeline. But, Brainy here happened to come across some wedding photos in the national archives while he was researching something else. And we just couldn't help ourselves.”

 

“More correctly, Imra couldn't. I would have been perfectly fine to stay away,” Brainy coolly retorts. “Though I will admit...I did miss you, Mon-El.”

 

It's more warmth than he usually exhibits, and Mon-El pulls him into a hug in response. Brainy, never quite sure what to do with physical affection, pats Mon-El's back robotically until the Daxamite pulls away.

 

“Winn, I can't wait to meet the woman you're marrying!” Imra exclaims. “We’ve all missed you terribly, but it's a great comfort to know you've found happiness.”

 

“Why thank you, m'dear. You're gonna love her as much as I do, I promise. Well, I mean, not literally, cause I _really really_ love her a lot, but you'll love her, you know, a normal amount.”

 

“I'm sure I will!” Imra laughs. “She looked just lovely in the photos we saw.”

 

“Well, why don't you come up to the bridal suite and say hello? I have to take Allie and Zora up there to have their hair done pretty soon, anyway,” Kara says.

 

“I'd love to, if it wouldn't be a bother.”

 

“No, of course not! Girls, come with Mommy and Auntie Imra. We're gonna go sit with the bride for a bit while we get our hair all pretty. Okay?”

 

The two small Daxatonians happily skip along to the main house in their frilly pastel yellow dresses, which thankfully they have not yet covered in grass stains or splattered with grape juice.

 

“By the way, you look just beautiful, Kar…” Imra starts.

 

“I know the dress is terrible. I didn't pick it,” the Kryptonian says under her breath, thankful her daughters don't yet have super hearing…not that they've let on, anyway.

 

“Oh, thank goodness,” Imra exhales, relieved. “But luckily, you could be wearing a snarebeast pelt and still be gorgeous.”

 

“Well, you look great too,” Kara chuckles. “How's Garth?”

 

“Busy brokering peace across the galaxy. He's away a lot. I miss him, but his work is important. I've…missed you as well, Kara. Things are good in this time I take it?”

 

“They are. The kids are thriving, the City is safer than ever, work is good…things are great!”

 

“I'll be honest, I selfishly sometimes wish some crisis would crop up just to give me an excuse to call you all back.”

 

“Well, I know the timeline is a concern but you're welcome here in the 21st century any time.”

 

They smile at each other and Kara leads her to the bridal suite. The girls immediately settle in with the stylist, who dotes on them while trying to force a brush through Zora's curly brown locks. Allie, having had some experience detangling her little sister's hair of steel, waltzes over to give the young man with the curling iron on his belt some pointers.

 

Kara leaves the girls and leads her friend up to the bride, who's sitting in a plush chair, busying herself with straightening the hem of her dress. “Eve!” she starts. “There's someone I'd like you to meet. This is Imra. She's a close friend of ours from, uh, out of town. Waaaay out of town.” She whispers the last part, and Eve's eyebrows rise in understanding and she glances at Imra's hand to see her Legion ring.

 

“Riiiight. Out of town. Well, thank you for coming, Imra! It's so wonderful to meet another one of Winn's far-flung friends.”

 

The wedding planner bursts in then, headset more or less surgically attached to her cranium.

 

“Bad news. The cake delivery van is stuck. Apparently there's a pile-up on the freeway,” she says.

 

Kara stiffens and looks at Lena and Eve, who both nod at her almost imperceptibly.

 

“Um, excuse me, I'll be back in a minute,” Kara declares, rushing out of the room.

 

Eve sighs, a bit crestfallen.

 

“What's wrong?” Lena asks.

 

“Nothing, it's just...I had a really special cake made for Winn. As a surprise. I really hope it gets here intact.”

 

“Eve, this is your day and you two are getting your special cake if I have to call in a helicopter to get it for you. Understand?”

 

“That's sweet, Lena, but…”

 

“No buts. Let me make a couple calls, okay? She strides out of the room, grabbing the beleaguered wedding planner by the arm, and leaving Imra unexpectedly alone with two tiny supers who are currently across the room, preoccupied with bows and curling irons, the bride…and her grandmother, who has nodded off in a nearby armchair.

 

“So, you're...a Legionnaire, then?” Eve inquires.

 

“Yes, I was recruited, just like Winn.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Imra struggles to think of what to say. She isn't sure how much Eve knows about their work, and there's always the risk of divulging some piece of information that she shouldn't while in the past. “I haven't been to a twenty--first century wedding before,” she finally says, settling on the most obvious topic of discussion. Though as the words cross her lips, she thinks back to her first wedding, all those years ago, to Mon-El. The ceremony had been quick, clinical, joyless. Mon-El didn't smile once, and there was no kissing or flowers or even mention of the word love. They wed in their uniforms, some hastily written vows that spoke of commitment to bringing the planets together. She recalls turning to hold his hand and spotting the chain of Kara's necklace peeking out from under his collar. Hardly the romantic dream wedding she'd imagined when she was young. Even her second wedding to Garth had been quick, and necessary to patch the fraying planetary alliance they were all desperately trying to keep in order. The dissolution of her marriage to Mon-El and sudden appearance of Supergirl in the 31st century had caused some upheaval initially, and even though she was very much in love with Garth, she regretted that they couldn't have married on their own timeline. He'd been a substitute, a replacement husband, critical for appearances on the interplanetary political stage. Not to mention she’d missed out--twice--on planning out her own wedding festivities.

 

“Oh! Were you at Kara and Mike's wedding?” Eve asks, keenly.

 

“Mike?” Imra asks, only half-listening.

 

“I mean Mon-El. Sorry, I'm used to his Earth name.”

 

“Right. Actually, no, I wasn't. They had a spur-of-the-moment engagement and ceremony. On a beautiful planet with crystal staircases.  Winn was there, though. In fact, he was the only other person there besides the two of them. To be honest, I'm rather glad I missed it. I'm not too keen on awkward situations.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Just…well, I adore Kara. I do. She's a wonderful friend. And she's very…you know, lovable. Since apparently it's quite impossible for men to stop being _actually_ in love with her.” Imra looks out the window, lost in remembrance, as the catering staff sets up tables and chairs outside.

 

Eve looks at the dark-haired woman, furrowing her freshly-plucked brows. “Impossible? I don't…”

 

“It's understandable, I suppose. She's quite extraordinary. And he's not particularly skilled at hiding his feelings. All those years in the future, he never could let go of her.” Imra sighs and stares at baby John as toddles around on the grass, chased by his older brother and another boy with dark hair.

 

“I'm sorry, I don't think I'm…quite following.” Eve eyes Imra warily.

 

“Apologies,” Imra finally snaps out if it, realizing she's probably saying too much. “I'm just babbling about drama from a long time ago. I should get back downstairs. You really look lovely, and it was wonderful to meet you. Congratulations!” Imra hoofs out of the room, as the children and stylist look up briefly at her sudden exodus, before returning to the slow transformation of Zora's wild hair into glossy ringlets.

 

“That was strange…” Eve mutters as snores emanate from her grandmother. She feels a bubble of panic rising up in her, trying to digest Imra's words… _Awkward situation? Impossible to stop being in love with Kara? Winn was the only guest? And what was that about never being able to let go of her…?_

 

She picks up her phone, trying to think who to call. Kara is busy saving people for the moment, Lena is trying to save the cake, Mike or whatever he's called is busy with Winn and the children...

 

“This is almost certainly a bad idea,” she says aloud as she slips into the hallway and dials James.

 

He picks up on the second ring.

 

“Eve? Are you okay?” he starts, clearly wondering why she's calling him today of all days.

 

“Was Winn ever in love with Kara?” she asks, nervously.

 

“What? What are you...Eve, where is this coming from?”

 

“I just need to know. He told me he had a thing for her a long time ago, but was it...love? Was he _actually_ in love with her?”

 

James takes a deep breath in, trying to think of what to say.

 

“JAMES.”

 

“Okay, okay, he did... _think_ that he was. At the time. But he's certainly not _now._ ”

 

“Are you sure? He spends an awful lot of time with her and her family.”

 

“You mean her husband and four kids? Eve, come on. He got over all that stuff before Mon-El even came into the picture. Back when he thought _I_ was gonna date her.”

 

“Okay. You're right, it's just...this woman I've never met before came and was spouting all this stuff about how Kara's so amazing and impossible to get over…” Eve is now pacing frantically up and down the hall, gesturing wildly with her perfectly manicured hands.

 

“What? What woman?”

 

“...and now it turns out Winn was in love with Kara…which I didn't know…and what _else_ don't I know, James?”

 

“Eve, I…”

 

“He spent a decade in the future doing God knows what, and he won't talk about most of it because he's worried about accidentally changing things…”

 

“Okay, Eve, take a breath…”

 

“...and OH MY GOD, is this happening too fast? Are we rushing into this? We haven't even been together a year. What if we don't know each other well enough? What if this is a huge mistake?”

 

“WHOA! Eve, let's back up here…”

 

“Oh, my God. I need some air. I need to get out of here.”

 

“Wait, Eve, where are you going?”

 

“I don't know, I just feel like I can't breathe right now and I can't think straight and I just need to be…not here. But thanks, James.”

 

“Eve! Please don't…”

 

CLICK.

 

James hangs his head, trying to think what to do. He turns back to the bar he's just stepped away from to take Eve's call.

 

“I take it the bride is having a slight meltdown?” Cat Grant, luminous as always in a gold dress, not a hair out of place, quips with her patented mixture of aloofness and mild boredom as she plucks an olive from her martini.

 

“Uh, yeah. I guess you overhead.”

 

“I guess so. And?”

 

“And…what?”

 

“James, I have already very graciously offered my own home…or one of them, anyway, to host these proceedings. I have watched said home be spangled with all manner of ridiculous decorations and...ugh...knick knacks. I have done _enough_ to ensure this day goes to plan. So _I_ am going to sit here and enjoy my drink. But I will be damned if I will allow a runaway bride situation to occur on my watch. Now go fix it.”

 

“Yes, ma'am.” James resists the urge to salute as he withdraws. He scans the crowd, trying to figure out who to ask for help. Alex is with her parents, J'onn is chatting with Eve's Grandfather, and Mon-El is with Winn and…is that Imra and Brainy?

 

He suddenly knows who the mystery woman was whose visit set Eve off.

 

“Mon-El…” he says aloud, from across the garden. A server gives him a funny look, but he just waves and steps a few feet away.

 

“Mon-El! Turn your super ears on and get over here!”

 

The Daxamite, finally hearing his name being called, looks up at James in confusion. James makes a shushing gesture and waves him over. He sees Mon-El excuse himself and approach uncertainly.

 

“Are you okay, James?”

 

“I'm fine, but Eve took off.”

 

“What?! Why?”

 

“I'm not 100% sure but I think your ex over there might have said something to her that freaked her out. She called me asking if Winn might still be in love with Kara and said some woman she didn't know told her that Kara is impossible to get over...or something? And then she said that she needed to get out of here.”

 

“Oh, man. Okay, where would she go?”

 

“I have no idea. We need to find Kara and Lena.”

 

“Imra said Kara took off to deal with a freeway accident and Lena is on some cake emergency. I can talk to Alex but she doesn't know Eve all that well I don't think.”

 

“Shit. Well, okay, what about Brainy? He's super smart, right? Maybe he can calculate her most likely...trajectory, or whatever.”

 

“She's not an asteroid, James.”

 

“Okay, well, I'm running low on ideas. Got a better one?”

 

“...No. Okay, I'll talk to him.”

 

“And I'll try and track down Lena. Maybe whatever she's dealing with is sorted out by now.”

 

“Okay, I'll call you if we figure anything out.”

 

“Same here.”

 

James retreats into the main house while Mon-El tries to maintain a calm demeanor as he returns to his fellow Legionnaires.

 

As it turns out, he needn't have bothered.

 

“Wait, what do you mean it won't last? I mean, what, according to you my marriage is just...doomed? How can you possibly know that? Winn's voice is higher and louder than normal. _Uh-oh._

 

“Winn, I'm sure Brainy isn't actually saying your relationship is doomed, _ARE YOU, Brainy?"_  Imra grates, in a fruitless effort to clue in her tactless friend to the fact that he's crossed a line. A big fat one.

 

“On the contrary, there is a near-certainty that…”

 

“Whoa, there, Brainy,” Mon-El attempts to intervene. “Not sure where this came from, but there is not a single doubt in my mind that Eve and Winn will have a very long, very happy marriage.” He grabs Winn's shoulder in his iron grip in a gesture meant to be reassuring. Judging by Winn's face, it's not working.

 

“But, mathematically, I estimate…”

 

“Holy Rao, man! Brainy, this is me giving you a social cue that it's time to shut your mouth, okay?” Mon-El stares his friend in the eye to drive his point home.

 

The Coluan goes immediately quiet.

 

Sighing, Mon-El turns to the groom. “Are you all right, Winn?”

 

“Not really, no.” Winn stalks off, leaving Mon-El to decide whether to stay and ask Brainy for help finding Eve, or to follow his clearly distressed friend. Given his judgment that Brainy probably won't be much help with the former, he opts for the latter. He looks up at the sky for a split second, praying that Kara returns quickly or James and Lena get things sorted out.

 

“Winn! Wait up!”

 

He trails Winn into the kitchen, where thankfully the catering staff have left several bottles of champagne out in the open. Winn grabs a bottle and heads into the billiards room, sitting on the edge of the nearest pool table and palming the 8-ball, which he then attempts to roll across the table into the corner pocket. He misses, and the ball ricochets back towards the middle of the table.

 

He continues staring at the ball as he silently hands the bottle to his Best Man. Taking his cue, Mon-El removes the foil wrapper and employs Kara's parlor trick of vibrating the bottle imperceptibly until the cork dislodges, shooting across the room. A small amount of champagne drips on the floor, but before Mon-El can look for a towel, Winn grabs the bottle and takes a large swig. Very large.

 

“Winn? I've known Brainy a long time. He can't predict the future. He comes up with these numbers based on Rao knows what, I mean, what does he know about human marriage, really? There's no mathematical formula for relationships.”

 

“No, there's not. That's it though, isn't it? Life is unpredictable. No guarantees, are there?”

 

“You guys are going to be together for the rest of your lives. I know it.”

 

“That's what my parents thought on their wedding day.”

 

“You're not your father. Or your mother.”

 

“No, I'm the guy who leaves his whole life behind because someone smarter than me told me I had to. I'm the guy who crafted his very existence, his career, around a girl I had a massive crush on who only ever wanted to be friends. I'm the guy who made James a suit so he could go out and play hero.”

 

“That was a long time ago. You _flourished_ with us. I watched you become a leader in your own right, not just the man in the van.”

 

“I'm a 40-year old man who still, today, after more than ten years of service to the Legion, caves when Alex stares me down.”

 

“Well, I mean, yeah. She's scary.” Mon-El's joke elicits a small melancholic smile from his friend.

 

“It's just…Eve and I are similar in this way. We're both people-pleasers. We sometimes have trouble standing up for ourselves. What if I get so busy bending over backwards for other people that I let her get stepped on in the process?”

 

“I take it this is something you've been thinking about, before Brainy put his big blue foot in his mouth?”

 

“Yeah, a little. It's just…with all the things we do, the dangers we face...I mean look what happened to you and Kara. You're stronger than me. You're heroes. And you suffered all those years.”

 

“And we found each other again.”

 

“I know. But our lives are so uncertain and I can't bear the idea that something bad might happen to her because of me and I wouldn't be strong enough to…” he trails off.

 

“Winn, you're selling yourself very short here. You've endured so much. We wouldn't have been able to accomplish everything we did in the future, or in the present for that matter, if not for you. You're the heart of our team…”

 

“Look, Mon-El, I get what you're saying and I appreciate it. But this isn't just about confidence. It's about potentially putting the woman I love at risk.” He takes a few chugs of the champagne bottle, and hands it off to his friend. “There's someone I need to go talk to.”

 

“Talk to who?” Mon-El wonders aloud, as Winn exits the room without answering. He considers following, before his phone rings. It's Kara.

 

He picks up, only to be assaulted by his wife's agitated voice over the line.

 

“WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!” she trills.

 

He holds the phone away from his ear momentarily until she finishes. “Winn needed to talk. What's wrong?”

 

“I just got back from clearing up that accident and…just come outside. NOW!”

 

He exhales, hangs up the phone, and wonders _Now what?_ before speeding outdoors.

 

********

 

James finally finds Lena on her cell in an upstairs bedroom, frantically talking to someone on the phone.

 

“All right, send me the exact location and I'll figure out the logistics. Yes, just text it to my cell. Thank you.” Lena hangs up.

 

“You okay?” James asks.

 

“Well, the freeway pile-up is clear but now it seems the bakery truck was stuck so long they ran out of gas. I might _actually_ _have_ to send a helicopter to go retrieve it.”

 

“Wow. Okay.”

 

“I have an LCorp van on the way. Hopefully they can get there quickly, but with the traffic…”

 

“I'm sure it'll be fine. Listen, I need to talk to you...”

 

She kisses him. He pulls back, surprised.

 

“Whoa, Lena…”

 

“Do you wanna have sex?”

 

“Uh…” he chuckles a little nervously. “Is now the right time for that?”

 

“Why not? Ceremony isn't for a while, we're in an empty bedroom, and I'm waiting for a call back about the cake. We can spare a few minutes. Just don't mess up my hair or my makeup. Mess up the dress all you want, it can't get any worse. Thankfully, my lipstick is smudge-proof.”

 

James, momentarily distracted by his original mission, doesn't pull away the next time she plants her lips on his. Finally, she starts unbuttoning his pants.

 

“Oh, wait. We don't have any condoms,” he suddenly realizes.

 

“Do we really need them? I mean, we've been monogamous for a long time, and we've both been tested.”

 

“What about pregnancy?”

 

“Not an issue. Had my tubes tied years ago.”

 

“Wait, what? And you're just telling me this NOW?!”

 

“Um...yes? What's the problem? I don't want kids. I've never once heard you mention wanting them and I've known you a while now, and…”

 

“You've never even _asked_ me.”

 

“Are you...mad that I'm sterilized?”

 

“NO! That's not…Lena, how could you just _assume_ that about me?”

 

“James, are you saying you want to be a parent? Because...I definitely don't. And if you do, then we are going to need to have a serious talk.”

 

“You know what, I can't think about this right now. I gotta…” and with that, James bolts from the room, leaving Lena gritting her teeth and wondering where the nearest bottle of Scotch might be.

 

********

 

When Mon-El returns to the garden he doesn't have to wonder why Kara was upset. The smouldering rose bushes are a big enough clue. Though the how of it all is unclear.

 

He finds Kara crouching be next to her Earth parents holding her nephew Conner, who is sobbing on his aunt’s shoulder, soaking the daisy pattern. As Lena predicted, even covered in tears and snot it's no worse looking than before.

 

“Umm…”

 

“Where WERE you?” she mouths at him over Conner's shoulder.

 

He loudly whispers at her. “Uh, well, Eve freaked out and took off, and now, separately, Winn has freaked out and taken off, so…there's been that.”

 

She picks Conner up and passes him to the waiting arms of Jeremiah, who coos and soothes his grandson while patting his hair. Kara then steps away from the two doting grandparents and turns to her husband.

 

“Damn. I was going to yell at you for not keeping a closer eye on the kids but…that's a pretty good excuse.”

 

“I figured there were plenty of adults here to watch them.”

 

“Yeah, so did I. Well, as you maybe can guess…”

 

“Conner's heat vision manifested for the first time?”

 

“Yup. I wasn't sure he'd even _get_ that power, certainly not this young. But…”

 

“Wow. Okay. Did anyone not in the family see?”

 

“Alex says no. But, uh, well…my parents have been hounding Alex about her love life, or lack thereof, which prompted my sister to have a few too many even though it's not even _noon_ yet, which evidently resulted in her sort of spilling red wine on Eve's veil.”

 

“What? How?”

 

“Zora snatched it from the bridal suite and she and Allie were playing with it and then Alex tried to grab it from them and…”

 

“Jeez. Anything else go wrong in the last half hour?” he rubs the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

 

“Yes, actually. The rings are up in a tree.”

 

“Oh Rao. Do I even want to know?”

 

“Well, flaming rosebush plus Allie's freeze breath equals…”

 

“Ring bearer pillow up a tree. Got it. Well that problem is fixable at least, I'll just go grab it.”

 

“No, don't! There are like 3 photographers running around here. I think we got lucky with Conner and no one was within eyeshot, but if you take to the air…”

 

“Right. Okay. Wow. So...which problem do we tackle first?”

 

“It's all taken care of. You two can go have a drink.” Cat Grant pipes in, to their surprise.

 

They stare at her, martini still in her hand, as she beckons over a server.

 

“Two on the rocks from the special reserve bottle in the case under the bar.” When the uniformed woman nods and walks away, she elaborates. “I made sure to have some of the good stuff for the two of you on hand. The kind that actually _works_ on you. And since all of you hero types have been a bit useless this morning, I took it upon myself to save the day.”

 

“I don't understand. How...how did you…?” Kara stammers.

 

“How many times do I have to tell you, Kira? I have. My. Ways.”

 

********

 

“Mom?” Winn says aloud, feeling like an eight year old boy again. He finds her wandering near the overlook, near the ribbon-bedecked pergola where the ceremony is meant to take place, staring out at the ocean.

 

“Hi, Honey. Let me guess: you're having a little freak out.” She turns to him, and tilts her head empathetically at the lost boy look on his face.

 

“How can you tell?”

 

“I can't think of any other reason you'd be coming to talk to me right now when you should be enjoying your last moments as a single man with your two brothers.”

 

“Brothers?”

 

“The one in the red suit and the one in the metal helmet.”

 

Winn half-smiles. “Right. Those brothers.”

 

“So what's up, honey?”

 

“When you married Dad, did you have any idea that he was dangerous? That he would...hurt you?”

 

“Yes, honey, he included it in our vows. Love, honor, cherish, and turn into a psychotic murderer.”

 

“Mom…”

 

Mary rolls her eyes and uncrosses her arms, wrapping one around him. “Winn. Are you kidding? Of course I didn't.”

 

“See? You walked down the aisle, blissfully unaware of all the terrible things that would happen to you because of him.”

 

“Winn, I thought you said you'd dealt with these fears about becoming your father.”

 

“I'm not saying I'm gonna go to the dark side and start terrorizing the City. But I'm human. I fuck up. Plus, I have a job where I'm constantly at risk, along with just about everyone I care about.”

 

“And you're worried that something bad will happen to Eve because of you?”

 

“Well, that and...I mean, how do you know? _Really know,_  for sure, that you're doing the right thing?”

 

“For sure? Only things sure in this world are death, taxes, and me calling you when I can't figure out why my printer won't print.”

 

Winn chuckles at this, despite himself.

 

“Winn, Honey, bad things happen sometimes. No one can predict them. And it doesn't matter if your job is thwarting alien attacks or working at a desk all day. Hell, I worked at an insurance company, of all places. God, that was boring. And having a mundane existence didn't stop my life from exploding in my face. Almost literally. Everyone is at risk all the time. All the more reason to let yourself live every day. Cherish that girl. Go make a life. Lord knows I wish every day I hadn't lost all those years with you. Besides, she has a choice in all this, too. She knows all about your life and wants to share it with you anyway. I gotta say, not that you remotely need my approval here but...she's a nice girl. You did good.”

 

Winn sighs, placing his hands on his hips like Kara does sometimes, though instead of looking up confidently he looks down at his freshly shined shoes.

 

“Do you love her?” Mary asks her son.

 

“More…than I ever imagined possible.”

 

“Would you worry less about her if you weren't together? Or if you quit your job?”

 

“I guess not.”

 

“All right, now come on. Let's go find your bride and get this show on the road, okay?”

 

“What do you mean find her? Isn't she here?”

 

“Uhhhh...yes?”

 

“Mom!”

 

“Okay, I assumed you knew and that's why you came over here, but, well, Honey, don't have a spaz attack, or whatever the kids say these days, but uh…your bride sort of possibly ran off.”

 

“What?! How do you know?”

 

“Cat told me.”

 

“Cat...Grant?”

 

“Yes, obviously.”

 

“I didn't know you'd even met her.”

 

“Course I have. We've been having lunch once a month more or less since I came back into your life. She's a good friend.”

 

“Wait, what?”

 

“I do have friends, you know.”

 

“But…”

 

“Okay, come on. Let's wipe that look of bewilderment off your face and get you married, shall we?”

 

********

 

James has nearly returned to the bar, huffy energy slowly fading as he strides closer to getting a nice cold beer in his hand, when it hits him what he was supposed to be doing before he got derailed.

 

“Oh, shit.” He turns around in a panic to head back in the direction he came from, but...

 

“I take it you failed at your assignment,” Cat Grant stares him down, standing directly in his path.

 

“Yup.” He presses his lips together in the face of her scrutiny and looks down at his feet, more than a little ashamed.

 

“What happened?”

 

“Fight with my girlfriend.”

 

“About what?” She takes a sip of her drink, appearing to the casual observer barely interested in the conversation.

 

“Having kids.”

 

“Oh. That is serious. So what, one of you wants them and the other doesn't?”

 

“Not exactly...I mean, she doesn't. I'm not sure.”

 

“No offense, James, but aren't you a little old to not have any inkling what you want in this arena?”

 

He cock's his head to one side, considering this. “Did you always want kids?”

 

“I wanted it all. Unfortunately, I had my first when I wasn't ready to be what he needed, and as a result I didn't get to watch him grow up. It's my greatest regret. But, yes, that urge to be a mother was always there.”

 

“Huh. I guess I would have thought…”

 

“What? That I never thought about it until I'd checked off everything else on my life to-do list?”

 

“Something like that.”

 

“James, having children isn't something you do on a whim. It's no small thing to bring a person into the world. You'll spend the rest of your life putting them first.”

 

“I know. You're right. I guess I just liked the ‘what if’ of it all, you know? Liked having the option.”

 

“Well, the option is yours. So…”

 

“I better go find Lena. Oh, but…”

 

“Don't worry about the wedding. I have a feeling everything will work out.”

 

He relaxes, knowing that generally what Cat Grant says goes, and takes off toward the bedroom where he left his girlfriend. She's still there--shoes off, sitting on the floor propped up against the side of the bed--having found that a surprising number of rooms in this house contain a small bar or liquor cabinet, and availing herself of the oldest Scotch she could find.

 

“Back to make some more plans for my ovaries?” she snarks, pouring another glass.

 

“Lena…”

 

She exhales, beckoning him to come sit with her. “I'm sorry,” she says. “That wasn't fair. I guess I've been putting off this discussion for a while. I be was a little nervous about how you'd react. And I immediately jumped to ‘man trying to control my body’ when I should have been listening to what you were actually saying.”

 

“Lena, I wasn't making plans for us. I just...I got blindsided when you told me you didn't want kids. It felt like...a door shutting.”

 

“So…you _do_ want them?”

 

“No, that's not what I'm saying.” He sees Lena's shoulders loosen with relief. “It's not like it's something I've dreamed of doing my whole life. I guess I just thought at some point I'd know for sure one way or the other. I...liked having the door open.”

 

“And now?”

 

“Becoming a father…it's something you should really be sure about. Not something you do by default. And I realize now that I just don't have that drive. The one Alex had when she decided to adopt, and found Conner. Which isn't to say that if I ever _did_ have a child I wouldn't love it wholeheartedly. But it doesn't seem fair to knowingly, intentionally bring a child into the world if the idea of being a Dad doesn't make my heart soar. You know?”

 

“I think so.”

 

“But you? Yeah, you definitely make my heart soar. And it's not like we don't have plenty of little people around to be the cool Aunt and Uncle to.”

 

“Oh, James, if you think you're the cool Uncle…” she shoots him a look of mock skepticism, and his laughter brings them both out of their funk a little.

 

“So we're okay?” he asks.

 

“Yeah, we're okay.”

 

“Good. Then let's go downstairs and see if the whole runaway bride nonsense is sorted out.”

 

“Wait, what?”

 

********

 

_Ms. Teschmacher, I am not going to yell at you. Yet. Now PICK UP._

 

Eve stares at the text from Ms. Grant. She'd already let several calls go to voicemail, terrified of what her former boss might have to say about the fact that she'd just run off from her own wedding, which is being graciously hosted by Ms. Grant herself, in her palatial mansion.

 

Hands shaking, Eve takes a deep breath and presses redial.

 

“Hello, Eve.”

 

Eve is speechless. It's the first time she's heard Ms. Grant use her first name.

 

“Umm, hello, Ms...Grant. I...I can explain…”

 

“Explain that you are having a moment of doubt about getting married? Fear of commitment, things moving too fast, yada yada yada. Seems pretty straightforward to me. The question is, what exactly are you going to do now?”

 

“Now?”

 

“Yes, as in presently. At this moment.”

 

“Ms. Grant...what would you do? If you were me?”

 

“...That's not the question you should be asking.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because you, Eve, are no Cat Grant.”

 

Eve slumps over, disheartened. She knows this, and yet to hear it out loud…

 

“...Cat Grant is a woman who has been married and divorced four times. Cat Grant is a woman who has realized at this stage in her life that she prefers independence to romantic partnership. Cat Grant most certainly would _not_ be getting married today. The question you should be asking, then, is what _Eve Teschmacher_ would do. Eve Teschmacher, who worked her tail off to get through Yale, on merit scholarship. Eve Teschmacher, who excels at virtually every field of study she attempts. Eve Teschmacher, whose unflagging tenacity and optimism rival Supergirl's. So I ask again: what are YOU going to do?”

 

Eve sighs and chews her lip. Violently.

 

“...I need to talk to Winn.”

 

“Good answer. Now turn around.”

 

CLICK.

 

Eve's eyes go wide as she lifts her elbows off of her desk and slowly spins in her LCorp lab chair, the hem of her dress dragging on the floor and nearly getting caught under its wheels.

 

“Hi, Baby,” Winn says, looking at her softly. “Are you okay?”

 

She tears up a little, and smiles at him. “I'm much better now that you're here. I…might have panicked…a little. And then I took off, which…I guess you know.” She fidgets with one of the appliques on her dress.

 

“Yeah, I had a bit of a moment too.”

 

“Really? About what?”

 

“Just a bunch of anxiety about us that kinda backed up on me. The things I do, whether you're safe. That stuff. You?”

 

“Run of the mill ‘Are we moving too fast” stuff.”

 

“...Are we?”

 

“I dunno...maybe? But Winn, I love you more than anything. I can't imagine my life without you. I _know_ I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

 

He smiles, picks up her hand and kisses the back of it. “I feel the same. And I know no matter what comes tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that, I want you with me. Always. There's always going to be uncertainty in our lives. But you? You're the one thing I'm absolutely sure about.”

 

She leaps into his arms, kissing him and hoping the tears sliding down her cheeks haven't completely ruined her make-up. “I'm sure about you, too.”

 

“You ready?” he asks, taking her hand in his, once he has the wherewithal to pull away from her embrace.

 

“Absolutely,” she answers, smiling broadly. “How did you know where I'd be, anyway?”

 

He shoots her his patented goofy grin. “The LCorp lab? This is where we met. Seemed like maybe a good place to try if you were thinking things over.”

 

“Future husband, have I told you I love the way your mind works?”

 

“Once or twice. But tell me again later when you can drop the word 'future,’ cool?”

 

“Will do!”

 

********

 

The whole lot of them watch as the photographer's video drone knocks into the nearby tree where the ring bearer pillow is currently taking up residence. It takes a couple of tries, but eventually the pillow falls to the ground and Allie goes to retrieve it, to a chorus of applause. The photographer wipes his brows, looking over at Cat Grant to make sure she's satisfied with the outcome of his efforts. Winn and Eve approach from behind the group.

 

“Hi, guys. Everything okay?” Winn says, causing the assembled Danverses, along with an Olsen, a Luthor, and a couple Legionnaires, to snap their collective gaze in the direction of the Bride and Groom--followed by a collective exhale of relief.

 

“Oh, thank Rao. You guys worked everything out?” Kara says.

 

“We did. So…anyone up for watching us get married?” Eve asks.

 

“Sounds good to me!” Kara laughs.

 

The wedding planner emerges from the house, announcing that the cake has finally arrived, and that they should take their places for the ceremony.

 

Thankfully, the rest of the service goes off without a hitch. The veil is no worse for wear thanks to the timely application of club soda. Eve's grandfather walks her down the aisle, a little slowly due to his age. Vows are said, rings are exchanged, and Kara sings Etta James’ “At Last” to everyone's delight. As best man and maid of honor, Mon-El and Lena walk back down the aisle together afterwards, which is slightly awkward.

 

“This kind of reminds me of…” Mon-El starts, figuring it's best to acknowledge the elephant in the room.

 

“Our almost-wedding?” Lena replies.

 

“Yeah. Guess Cat Grant has a pretty good track record for wedding rescues, huh?”

 

“Guess so. Although I will admit, as husbands go, you're not the worst.”

 

“High praise coming from you. Thanks!” he chuckles.

 

Walking behind them, Kara and James watch their exchange with amusement.

 

“You know, I would have made a pretty good Maid of Honor, too.”

 

“You would have. And I would have made a decent Best Man, I think.”

 

“Definitely. But we're not jealous or anything.”

 

“No, not at all.”

 

“Even though I did plan the bridal shower. And the bachelorette party.”

 

“Which I heard were wonderful.”

 

“Uh, _yeah_ they were! Everyone loves country line dancing, right?”

 

“...Yeah...uh...absolutely.”

 

Winn and Eve of course can't take their eyes off each other, causing many adorable moments throughout the reception. They also disappear together for about half an hour at one point, to the consternation of the beleaguered wedding planner.

 

When the cake comes out (after they emerge, only slightly disheveled, from the bridal suite), Eve covers Winn's eyes and yells “SURPRISE!”

 

When he opens them, he sees why she was so concerned about its timely arrival. It's shaped like the Millennium Falcon, complete with Han and Leia cake toppers. His gleeful reaction is priceless.

 

“Best. Wife. Ever!” he squeals, hugging her and spinning her around.

 

He's still a little annoyed at Brainy, so when the Coluan approaches him and his bride toward the end of the day's festivities to offer stiff, compulsory congratulations (likely at Imra's insistence), he gives a cordial handshake and nearly turns away, before pausing to get something off his chest.

 

“You're wrong. About us. Eve and I are solid. And I don't care what your calculations say, we're not gonna get divorced.”

 

“I didn't say you would divorce.” The Coluan replies. “And I didn't complete any calculations regarding the probability of your potential matrimonial dissolution.”

 

“You didn't? Then what the hell were you even talking about?”

 

“You both are human. You have a finite lifespan.”

 

“Seriously? That's it? That’s all it was? No 'you two have a 65-point-blah blah chance of breaking up? But you calculate everything!”

 

“Not today. I'm on vacation.” And with that, Brainy steps away, leaving Winn rolling his eyes in disbelief.

 

Eventually, Kara takes it upon herself (out of love, of course, and not in any way to prove she can make a better speech than Lena) to make a toast to the bride and groom.

 

“...Winn and Eve, you are two of the most incredible people I know. And not just because of your many impressive talents, but because of your impressively big hearts. And the fact that those two hearts now belong to each other, well, I think I speak for everyone in this little family of ours when I say that your joy is our joy. We wish you all the happiness in the world.” She raises her glass, smiling slyly as she spots Alex in the back of the ballroom making only-slightly-drunken heart eyes at Eve's cousin Julianne, who's sitting with her own son, a boy of around nine.

 

As the festivities wind down, the happy intergalactic family waves the couple good-bye as they leave for a much-deserved honeymoon.

 

Kara and Mon-El gleefully snag Ms. Grant's special bottle of Alderberan rum from under the bar after they send the children home with their grandparents. Venue nearly empty, they share a somewhat tipsy dance, Kara's head on her husband's shoulder.

 

“I love you, Mon-El of Daxam.”

 

“I love you too, Kara Zor-El of Krypton.”

 

She pulls back to gaze into his eyes, but pauses when she spots Ms. Grant looking on with approval from the other end of the room. She mouths a _Thank You,_ seeing her former mentor nod with a smile and leave them to their romantic moment.

 

Eventually, Kara decides she's deserved a well-earned night home alone with her mate, and enlists someone on Ms. Grant's payroll to give them a ride to Midvale.

 

She spends the ride home wondering what will be more satisfying: taking off this dress so she can get naked with Mon-El, or taking it off so she can throw it in the trash.

 

“It's about 50/50…” she slurs aloud.

 

“What, Love?” her husband answers.

 

“Nothing, Babe,” she coos, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into a soft kiss.

 


End file.
